Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev ‘Lux honey’
At just 18 years old, Montreal based photographer Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev is inspiring creatives the world over & has been one of my favourite photographers from the first moment I laid eyes on her work. Here is what Nastia told us about her stunning new series ‘Lux honey’. My insta is about to blow up 🙂
“One of the questions I am most often asked is: what makes good art according to you?
I think that the creative process behind an image is what makes art good. I don’t like images that are pretty for pretty’s sake. For me, art is successful when it is inspired by an idea, an elaborate concept or a story.
Lately, I have seen a lot of art about body acceptance & the excesses of surgery. I think it is important for artists to use their medium to talk about issues.
However, I tire of seeing the same kind of images showing oversized women holding a Barbie or a beautiful model with surgery lines on her face.
I think that women must discuss the implications of media messages about perfection & standards of beauty. I asked my followers how do the media change their visions of beauty. I received many comments across different cultures & all ages. To me, the responses to my question suggest that size & plastic surgery are not the only issues in the constructed notion of female perfection that concern women.
Inspired by both my personal experiences & by responses from my followers, I created fictitious statements, essentially putting words to what the media say women should look like, who they should be and what they should do.
With those statements, I created images exaggerating these realities. By making a parody out of what women are told are the measures of beauty in our culture, I am hoping that we recognize the absurdity of these messages & shift our understanding of perfection. I don’t think the external sources should decide what is beautiful; I believe that women should be able to have their own vision of beauty.
‘Lux honey’ represents this statement:
You have to treat your body with luxury products. If you can’t afford it, you can’t be pretty. “
Credits:
- Photographer: Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg
- Model: Leanne Hunter leannehunter_
- Model: Emma Madigan @emmamadigan
- Model Management: Montage Models @montagemodels
- Make-up Artist: Ashley Diabo @ashleydiabo
- Talent Agency: Dulcedo @dulcedomodels
- 7 years ago by: Ainsley Hutchence
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James Beddoes ‘I love Lucy (NSFW)’
Connor Singh ‘Colour Theory’
